Amusement
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts notified the state Employment Development Department on Jan. 15 that it will lay off 85 employees from a Fullerton location, effective May 29. The workers make costumes by hand for Disneyland Resort characters for the company’s two parks in Anaheim and some of its overseas properties. The work will move to Florida to make use of new technology and a larger facility.
Education
Fullerton-based Marshall B. Ketchum University paid $10.3 million for an 88,000-square-foot building on La Palma Avenue in Anaheim and will move its University Eye Center there from Fullerton. Ketchum, which began as an optometry school in Los Angeles more than 100 years ago, last year added a School of Physician Assistant Studies and plans to launch its College of Pharmacy this year.
Energy
Construction started on a $60 million plant at the Frank R. Bowerman landfill in Irvine to convert methane gas from decomposing trash to electricity. County waste-management officials said the electricity will power 18,500 homes, businesses and schools.
Engineering
Willdan Group Inc. in Anaheim purchased two privately held engineering companies for approximately $21.2 million—360 Energy Engineers in Lawrence, Kan., and Abacus Resource Management Co. in Beaverton, Ore., expanding its “energy solutions segment into new geographies,” said Chief Executive Tom Brisbin.
Healthcare
Irvine-based Allergan Inc. set a March 10 special meeting to get shareholder approval of its acquisition by Actavis PLC in a cash-and-stock deal currently valued at about $70 billion. Actavis agreed to buy Allergan in November.
Aliso Viejo-based Crossover Health Inc. said it received $15 million in equity financing. It operates employee health centers for businesses in Silicon Valley and elsewhere.
Manufacturing
Newport Beach-based private equity firm Solis Capital Partners acquired an equity stake in Santa Ana-based ML Kishigo Manufacturing Co. The amount and percentage of ownership interest weren’t disclosed.
Media
OC Weekly is up for sale, according to Denver-based Voice Media Group Inc., parent of the alternative newspaper. Andy Van De Voorde, executive associate editor for Voice Media, said the company also would consider a partnership with investors instead of a flat-out sale. Voice Media publishes a number of other alternative publications around the U.S., including LA Weekly.
Restaurants
Anaheim-based Bruxie Gourmet Waffle Sandwiches LLC closed its Denver location Jan. 19 and plans to open three company-owned locations in the next 12 months for a total of 10 in the chain, all company-owned. The three new restaurants are planned for Santa Monica, San Diego, and Las Vegas, the last two of which will serve alcohol, a new company effort. Bruxie has five restaurants in Orange County.
Irvine-based American Restaurant Holdings Inc. said an affiliate bought Colonia, N.J.-based Muscle Maker Grill. American Restaurant is a holding company that buys “stable, cash-flowing” multiunit fast-casual brands and “destination” single-unit restaurants. Muscle Maker has 55 locations, most franchised, in 11 states. OC is listed as “coming soon” on its website. The company is publicly traded over the counter, with a market cap of less than $1 million.
Services
Mission Viejo-based Jobrivet said it had signed to provide employment services to 146 offices in Southern California of Orange-based Western Dental Services Inc. Jobrivet provides employment services with a focus on restaurants and retail in Southern California.
Technology
NextVR Inc. in Laguna Beach said it conducted the “first ever live, broadcast-quality transmission of a virtual reality experience” late last month
The venture capital arm of Irvine-based Western Digital Corp. co-led a $29 million funding for memory products maker Chandler, Ariz.-based Everspin Technologies Inc. It wasn’t disclosed how much of the total came from Western Digital.
Transportation
John Wayne Airport Director Alan Murphy will step down from the post on Feb. 5 after 32 years working for Orange County, including 28 years with the airport, the last 15 as director. It’s the second high-level vacancy at JWA. Former Assistant Airport Director Loan Leblow retired about a year ago, and the position hasn’t been filled.
